Ive Just shopped someone for benefit fraud, do I deserve to burn in hell.

[Gulitladen]

I feel quite bad.

This person is an acquaintance, She was a single parent for a few months, then she met someone who pretty much moved in, he was paying her bills for her and moved in properly earlier this year.

She has always worked full time with a salary of around 20k.

She seems to have an awful lot of money, and, as a single parent myself, I couldnt quite work it out. However, I have seen her tax credits renewal form as she didnt understand something and asked me to have a look for her, and shes claiming to be a lone parent, working 16.3 hours a week, earning 12k a year less than she actually is.

She is also claiming housing benefit as a single parent.

So, I have completed the DWP form and sent it off. I couldnt help it, it makes me see red.

But I now feel terrible.

You know a lot about her.
You saw her paperwork why didn't you challenged her before reporting?
And she clearly trusted you..... And you stabbed in the back...
Not saying what you did is wrong and what she did is right but how will you look at her eyes again?
Also if she isn't self employed, couldn't HMRC work out her fraud by themselves?

I'd also be worried that I wouldn't be very anonymous if I happened to be the only person to have seen the form.

I think you have to be careful about making distinctions about worthy and unworthy people who receive benefits that they are not entitled too. If someone was lying to receive extra money but was a kind and charitable person would that make it ok?
These situations should just be about facts - are they dishonestly claiming or not. If they are then you should report them surely.

Ah, OK - so she actually admitted to you that she was committing benefit fraud did she?

If she talks about it that freely to an acquaintance, then the HMRC/DWP are probably already on to her!

I think you feel so bad because you were motivated to report her by jealousy.

If you weren't feeling jealous that she had all these possessions that you didn't you either might not have reported her, or you would have reported her but not feel so bad about it.

For yourself work on the jealousy/envy and you will feel better. If what you say is correct she is taking the piss completely and should be reported.

So, if your "acquaintance" only started to live with her DP this year (as you say), there may be nothing amiss surely?

Yes there is something amiss. While it may be based on last year's income, you can only claim as a single parent if you currently are a single parent - not if you happened to be single parent last year.

OP, you have nothing to feel guilty about. If people want to commit benefit fraud, they should be more careful about sharing details of their circumstances with other people.

Actually, Etah you have just made a good point also!

This year's Tax Credit renewal forms have your actual earned income for last year already printed on - they have got the information directly from information provided by Employers. If anyone tries to alter that figure themselves (and I'm sure some have), surely it will be investigated?

I'm a bit concerned that you're so certain you're right based, it seems, on a good deal of hearsay and a dollop of assumption.

How much getting back at someone you perceive to have more cash than you is really going on? Is that why you both feel guilty and are stubbornly holding on to rightness?

And she clearly trusted you..... And you stabbed in the back...

Sorry this is nonsense - she asked OP for advice about a form. This does not make it OP's responsibility to become this woman's partner in crime.

Hope it was the tax credits renewal and not the end of year / summary for 2013-2014

I've got two bits of paper with last years circs on.

How can she lie about her wages though? She pays tax I assume and gets a p60 form every year?

If your certain then good for you. She's a thief stealing from you and me. Good work - I hate thieving scum with a passion.

I would have reported too. Its not a jealousy thing really its just unfair that some people milk the system and otheres don't.

I was going to say if there's that higher difference between her declared earnings and her real earnings it will get flagged up by HMRC. All these departments share info. Council, tax credits, etc. Once you make a declaration of earnings to one, all dept's can see it and check against the real figures.

I wouldn't be able to not say something, I wouldn't be able to look her in the eye again

What's at stake? If the OP is wrong then the 'aquaintance' won't lose her entitlement!

The keep out of it culture pisses me off!! If someone is screwing the system they should be shopped and brought to task!

Hers was the final award for last year, and then this years one ( so I think that means she has completed her renewal)

She had the green tick box one, which is how they were like last year. Mines different this year and I dont even have to renew it, its doing it automatically.

And yes, her circumstances have changed a good few months ago, so she should not be claiming as a single parent, if she is not. She has two full time incomes going into that house, yet is claiming shes has one 16 hour a week income.

That isnt right, or fair.

My motivation isnt jealously, its fairness, and, its illegal.

HMRC knows how much she earns. They don't need you to tell them.

You saw her tax credit form, not her housing benefit one. How do you know she's getting housing benefit? You don't seem to have been on the ball with the tax credits.

"You just need to be so 100% certain of your facts when you report someone"
This is nonsense.
You report suspicions and then the DWP investigates using the powers they have. It is rubbish to suggest you have to have a full legal case to present to them.

until last year you could just write the your earnings figure in the box. As far as i know they dont automatically check these, some were spot checked, but thats it.

Its only this year where they have populated that field themselves, and the systems have synced.

OP, you have nothing to feel guilty about.

If the person has been claiming fraudulently then you could say that's true, but I think it's more complicated in that the OP's motives for "doing the right thing" weren't as simple as doing a service to the public.

If it was motivated by personal feelings towards the woman and jealousy, that's probably why she now feels uneasy.

She knows she did it to get one over on the other person, even though she can justify it by asserting it was her duty to report, she still feels bad.

I would too.

So you're not actually guilt laden? Are we here to celebrate so?

My motivation isnt jealously, its fairness, and, its illegal.

If that's the reason then why do you feel guilty?

You haven't done any harm, anyhow

According to your informed account, she isn't claiming any DWP benefits. You reported her to the DWP. Fine, you feel better for some reason and she won't lose out.

It does sound as though she hit a nerve with the finances comment. A tiny bit envious, might you be? My life's "full of handbags" and other shit. This is because I review new products for websites, join the swap threads on here and have nice stuff left over from better days, which I sell on ebay. Try thinking creatively on your own behalf, instead of being irrationally resentful?

ah crap I've posted on a
I should know better by now!